Amended
IN
Senate
August 16, 2016
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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2015–2016 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Concurrent Resolution
No. 158
Introduced by Senators Pan and De León
(Coauthor: Senator Hall)
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Atkins)
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June 30, 2016 |
Relative to Promise Zones.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 158, as amended, Pan.
Promise Zones.
This measure would encourage the State Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Food and Agriculture to give federally designated Promise Zones priority consideration and preferred access to, and competitive preferences for, state funding, resources, and programs. The measure would urge California to explore implementation of models developed by federal programs that give preferences to Promise Zones.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee:
YES WHEREAS, A child’s ZIP Code should never determine his or her destiny; and
WHEREAS, Today, the community a child grows up in greatly impacts his or her odds of graduating from high school, health outcomes, and economic opportunities; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, President Obama announced the establishment of the Promise Zones Initiative to partner with high-poverty communities across the nation to create jobs, increase economic security, expand educational opportunities, increase access to affordable quality housing, and improve public safety; and
WHEREAS, On January 8, 2014, President Obama designated Los Angeles, California, as one of the nation’s first Promise Zones and on April 28, 2015, designated Sacramento, California, as a Promise Zone. This spring, President Obama will announce the third round of Promise Zone designations; and
WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone designation must have a contiguous geography, an overall poverty rate at or above 33 percent, a high unemployment rate, and a low high school graduation rate; and
WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone has identified clear outcomes to pursue in order to revitalize its community with a focus on creating jobs, increasing economic activity, improving educational opportunities, reducing violent crime, and becoming a national model for other struggling communities; and
WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone will continuously track its progress and share its data with community partners, including, but not limited to, private sector, nonprofit, federal, state, and local agencies, so that each partner can work towards improvement and accountability within the Promise Zone; and
WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone will receive competitive preference and priority consideration to access federal programs and resources within the United States Department of Education, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the United States Department of Justice, and the United States Department of Agriculture to supplement local efforts as it works toward its goals; and
WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone will be provided five full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members to support its strategic plan. These VISTA members will recruit and manage volunteers and strengthen the capacity of the Promise Zone to expand economic opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Each Promise Zone designation will be for a term of 10 years and President Obama has proposed tax cuts on hiring and investment in areas designated as Promise Zones to attract businesses and create jobs; and
WHEREAS, As outcomes are achieved and best practices are developed, federal agencies will consider expanding improvements in the delivery of federal funding and services to other communities seeking similar opportunities and results; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature encourages the State Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Food and Agriculture to give priority consideration and preferred access to state programs and resources to federally designated Promise Zones in California that support job creation and economic security, expand educational opportunities, increase access to affordable quality housing, and improve public safety; and be it further
Resolved, That the State Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Food and Agriculture should consider giving Promise Zones competitive preferences for state funding and programs; and be it further
Resolved, That California should explore implementation of the same models that have been developed by the federal programs that give preferences to Promise Zones; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.